Voluntary contributions

Hi, if I make voluntary contributions to the NI living abroad and I request the U1, will those contributions be reflected in the certificate? The form to apply for it asks only for my residence in the UK, so it´s not clear to me how those contributions would appear in the U1. Thank you

Hi Mark Brown,
Voluntary National Insurance contributions are not counted as periods of insurance for the purposes of a U1 certificate.
Therefore, the answer to your question is no, they would not be reflected on the certificate.
Thank you.
 

Dear Mark, I am going through a complete nightmare trying to set up my voluntary contributions NI living abroad and I really need your help. I have been trying to set it up for 3 years and have been applying and calling the help centre repeatedly and although they repeatedly promise to set up the direct debit / call me back / resolve the issue, they never do. I am eligible for class 2 contributions. I applied via post, as requested, back in 2021. For an unknown reason there was a complication / mishandling of the application and the request was not put through and I was also not notified. After calling numerous times for resolution, I spoke with a manager in April 2023 who assured me that we would resolve it over the phone there and then. We did an immediate payment over the phone for the shortfall of two previous years, and, she confirmed setting up the direct debit, using the same current bank account details (the same as the original direct debit mandate request). She advised me that the first direct debit payment would be taken only in January 2024. So I waited until then and saw that not direct debit had been set up. I called again. They said that it had not been set up for unknown reasons and they would ask the International Case Worker to resolve it and set it up within 48 hours. They did not resolve it or contact me back. I called again. I spoke to a manager who said there was a note on the system that it had not been set up because my bank account was a savings account (??!!) it is NOT a savings account and is the identical details as the payment made for the shortfall in 2023 and in the original direct debit mandate request in 2021. They assured me that the International Case Worker would call me back within 48 hours to resolve the issue. No one called me back. I am pulling my hair out. I do not know what to do. While writing this message I am own hold to the helpline again, and have currently been on hold for 34 minutes. Please please help me resolve this. Michelle. 

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Hello, I have recently applied for a state pension, as I only have 8 years NI contributions, I paid 2 years voluntary contributions in February directly to HMRC NIC account. Since then I have had no acknowledgement of the monies being recieved or indeed any confirmation that my application is or has been processed. Could you please shed some light on my situation ? Thanks 

Name removed admin .

Hi davidjmoran Moran,
The current timescale for a payment to be allocated to the account is 8 weeks from date of payment.
Once the payment is allocated, you will be able to view this on your Personal Tax Account (PTA).
If it is not showing after the 8 weeks, please contact us on 03002003500.
Thank you.

Thanks for that, I now have been awarded my pension, could I ask if I buy back a further ten years voluntary contributions ( giving me a total of 20 years ) how much will my pension be per month? Thank you

Hi davidjmoran,
You will need to speak to the Pension service at the Department for Work and Pensions if you have reached state pension age, they will advise you how many years you can increase your pension along with the amount to pay and the change that it will make to your overall pension amounts.
Enquiries - 0800 731 0469
Welsh - 0800 731 0453
Open - 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday, closed bank holidays and weekends
Northern Ireland - Enquiries - 0800 587 0892
If you are under 6 months of state pension age, please contact the pensions forecast at the Department for work and pensions.
Number - 0800 731 0175
Overseas - +44 191 218 3600
Open - 8:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday
Thank you.